


The Inner Animal

by Cameo (CameoSF)



Category: Beastmaster
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-08
Updated: 2014-06-08
Packaged: 2018-02-03 22:55:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1759039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CameoSF/pseuds/Cameo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It takes a magic potion to bring the Beastmaster and the Boy King together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Inner Animal

If Dar didn't know better, he'd suspect Tao of setting the whole thing up. But Tao couldn't have predicted that Bahktiar would appear at their camp asking for help, and he certainly couldn't have anticipated the choice Dar and Voden would make in his absence. The rest of it, however, was all his fault, every bizarre last bit of it.

Bahktiar had come seeking aid in reversing the spell that turned him into a puma whenever he lost his temper. When he and his mum had left Xinca, he'd believed it was over, but apparently the gods were fickle. After spending the last few years with Voden bemoaning the fate of her youngest son, Margret now spent the majority of her waking moments bemoaning the fate of her eldest. It was really getting on Bahktiar's nerves, to the point that he'd started growling at her one day. That had scared them both, so Bahktiar had set off to rid himself of his curse once and for all. It had occurred to him not long afterwards that he had no clue how to go about it, so he'd sought out the Beastmaster, the only person he knew who might have connections in the spell-casting realm.

Dar didn't, in fact, have the necessary connections, but Tao apparently did. He'd volunteered to visit a witch he'd once had a fling with, to see if she could help. Knowing Tao's opinion of witches, and that he wouldn't have flung with her if he'd known at the time what she was, Dar was a little surprised, but he didn't question it.

Tao was gone for a full day and night, and when he returned, he carried two small sealed bottles.

"There's a catch," he told them. "This potion will remove the spell, but it must be drunk by both parties involved. Since Voden is the one who originally sparked your temper, he has to drink at the same time."

"Voden will never voluntarily do me such a favor," Bahktiar observed pessimistically, but also accurately.

"Then we'll have to trick him," Dar stated. He and Voden were on decent terms just then, and he had no doubts that he could coax the king into having a glass of wine with him. "There won't be any side effects for Voden, will there, Tao?"

Here's where Tao could have spoken up, but…

"Nope. None at all," he assured Dar with an open and innocent smile.

So the three went to Xinca.

On the palace grounds was a pleasant area of grass and trees, and an open tent where Margret used to sit in the fresh air and sulk. While Bahktiar hid behind a handy flap of canvas, Dar and Tao requested an audience with Voden, who was between campaigns and quite willing to come out to the tent and socialize. His servants brought a jug of wine and three goblets, then vacated, which was just as well.

"What have you been up to, Beastmaster?" Voden inquired, watching them rather closely. Dar didn't blame him; they'd never stopped by for a casual drink before.

"The usual," Dar said. "Keeping the forest safe for all living creatures."

"I'll pour," Tao said.

"And how is that working out for you?" Voden asked. He was fortunately focused on Dar and did not see Tao slip the potion into his wine. "Having any luck?"

"Not a lot," Dar admitted, ready to launch into a long tale about how Curupira was no longer available to lend assistance, and myriad animal-hating villains were constantly setting up shop in the local villages, not to mention all the strange visions he and Tao kept having of beautiful, scantily clad females. He was interrupted by a goblet being shoved into his hand.

"To luck," Tao declared, giving Voden one as well. He raised his drink high, the signal for Bahktiar to uncork his little bottle. The three in the tent, and presumably the one outside, downed their respective beverages in companionable silence.

"Excuse me a minute," Dar murmured as soon as Voden's cup was empty. He ducked behind the flap and found a widely smiling ex-shape-shifter.

"It worked," Bahktiar exclaimed. "I could feel it. I'm cured!"

"Congratulations," Dar replied, clapping him on his back.

"I'd better clear out before Voden gets curious. Thank you, and thank Tao for me!"

"Sure. Say hello to your mother for us."

Bahktiar left quickly, a new spring in his step.

Dar went back into the tent, startled to see Tao rolling on the ground laughing deliriously, an unexpected animal doing contortions, and no sign of anyone else.

"What's so funny?" he asked. "Where did that enormous raccoon come from? And where's Voden?"

VVVVVVVVVVVV

Voden didn't remember passing out, but when he woke up he was lying on the grass, tangled in a pile of pale material. Several things struck him at once: the material was his own clothing, which he for some reason was no longer wearing; he wasn't lying, but rather standing on four legs; and said legs were a lot shorter than he was used to, because even stretched to his full height, his head was only a couple feet off the ground.

Struggling free of his clothes, he looked himself over. Right shoulder: gray fur. Left shoulder: gray fur. Belly: too big to see past, but also covered in gray fur. Hands: small and black and sporting some impressive claws. When he carefully brought them to his face, all he felt was more fur and a smooth, cold nose that definitely didn't used to be shaped like that.

A strident sound from nearby drew his attention, and the sight of Tao laughing himself silly answered some of Voden's questions. He glared at Dar, who was eyeing him curiously, apparently not in on the joke.

" _Beastmaster!_ " Voden barked. Dar jumped, as if he hadn't expected to be addressed by name, even telepathically. " _What have you done?! I'm a raccoon! A giant raccoon!! A giant, big-assed raccoon!!!_ "

"Voden?"

" _Who else?!_ " The erstwhile king nodded at Tao, who was still guffawing, but fast running out of breath. " _That maniac must know what's happened! Ask him!!!_ "

Dar hauled Tao to his feet. "Well? You said the potion wouldn't affect Voden."

"I lied," Tao chortled. He glanced at Voden and collapsed again as soon as Dar let go. "I wanted him to get a taste of what Bahktiar has been living with. It's temporary."

"How long?"

"That's up to him. The only way to turn back into a man is to have sex."

" _What???_ " Voden bellowed. In raccoon-speak, it came out closer to an agitated yap, which was an added insult. He'd always rather liked his voice: deep, smooth, and calm. Who knew raccoons couldn't open their mouths without chittering hysterically?

"What?" Dar echoed. "That was never part of Bahktiar's curse!"

"True," Tao gasped, getting shakily to his knees. "I asked my friend to throw that in especially for him."

Voden didn't bother ranting; he stalked as majestically as possible up to Tao and swiped him across the hindquarters with a full set of claws. Tao screeched, leaping to his feet and away from his own livid creation.

"Whoa." Dar grabbed Voden from behind and kept him from pursuing. "Tao, what were you thinking?"

Tao was busy inspecting himself for damage. The seat of his pants was shredded, but Voden was sorry to see that he hadn't drawn blood. "Honestly, I was thinking he'd turn into a lion maybe, or at worst a weasel. The potion is supposed to bring out one's inner animal." He pressed his lips together to keep from chuckling. "It never crossed my mind he'd turn out to be a sneaky, ill-tempered little thief?"

"He can understand you, you know," Dar pointed out, barely preventing Voden from lashing out again, this time at a more treasured part of Tao's anatomy.

" _If I'm a raccoon, then he's nothing but a braying, dim-witted jackass!_ " Voden raged, squirming about. It was infuriating that he hadn't the strength to break free of Dar's hold. " _Beastmaster, do something!!!_ "

"All right… Tao, we have to fix this."

"I told you how--"

" _Some other way_!" Voden screamed. " _I'm not going to fuck a fucking raccoon!!!_ "

Tao may not have understood Voden's words, but the tone was clear in any language. "Okay, okay. I'll go back to my friend and see if she has an antidote."

" _You can't leave me here!_ "

"You're right. Can I set you down now?" Dar cautiously placed Voden on the ground at his feet. "No offense, but you weigh a ton." Voden scowled. "Let's take him to the sanctuary. I'll keep an eye on him while you talk to your friend. The king will just have to go missing for a while."

DDDDDDDDDDDD

They set off into the forest without being seen, Tao in the lead, followed by Dar and then Voden, because Dar was not about to let his two companions get near each other. This led to another problem, however, because Voden seemed to be succumbing to his raccoon nature: he kept wandering off to investigate strange scents. Dar tried to herd him in the right direction, but every time he turned his back, his charge darted off.

"You can't keep doing that," Dar warned him, urging Voden away from the berries on a thorn bush. "The forest can be dangerous for small animals."

" _You said yourself, I'm enormous!_ "

"Not by predator standards."

" _If anything attacks me, I'll sit on it!_ " Voden glanced at his own huge butt in obvious frustration. Till then his attention had been on Dar, so he was clearly thunderstruck to see that Ruh had joined them and was calmly sniffing the new addition to their menage. An instant later, Voden was up the nearest tree. His bright button eyes were wide with fear, and he was hanging onto a swaying branch with all twenty claws.

"Ruh," Dar admonished, trying to ignore Tao's snickers, "this creature is not to be harmed or frightened. Understood?"

" _He smells familiar,_ " Ruh told him.

"I know. He wasn't always as you see him now."

Ruh accepted that. They waited patiently for the raccoon to come down from its perch, but Voden wasn't budging.

" _Not on your life, Beastmaster!_ " Voden cried. " _He'll eat me!_ "

"No, he won't," Dar promised. "He's a friend."

" _Yeah, right, like Tao's?! The one who did this to me?!_ "

"No, Ruh can be trusted. Come down."

Voden tentatively extended a hind leg towards the trunk of the tree, but it fell short. He attempted to turn around, but his bum threatened to over-balance him right off the limb. He looked at the ground, but it was much too far to leap.

" _I'm staying here!_ " he announced, crossing his little arms as best he could.

Dar couldn't help smiling; Voden really was cute in this body. Not that he wasn't cute in his human form, but he made it a lot harder to appreciate. He held out his own arms. "I'll catch you."

" _Swear it!_ "

"I swear." Dar watched him prepare to launch himself off the branch, his tiny hands anxiously held out, and had a thought. "Retract your claws first."

Voden ostentatiously did so, then dove into Dar's embrace. Dar half expected to be knocked off his feet, but Voden managed to glom onto him securely, wrapping both arms around Dar's neck. Tao had to duck into the bushes, where he could still be heard cackling. Ruh raised one eyebrow, but refrained from comment.

"You're safe now," Dar said, moving to set his burden down on solid ground. Voden didn't let go. "Really, Ruh won't hurt you. He'll even protect you."

" _I'm comfortable here!_ " Voden insisted, snuggling closer.

Dar relented. It was a lot easier to hold Voden like this than when he was determined to skin Tao alive, and it wasn't much farther now to the sanctuary. He resumed walking, pretending it was his idea to carry an enormous, oddly affectionate, raccoon. At that moment he could care less whether Tao was following them or whether his practical-joking cohort had fallen into a ravine.

VVVVVVVVVVVV

Sanctuary didn't look all that different from the rest of the forest, but Dar seemed to consider it home, so Voden consented to being set down. He'd enjoyed being carried, reflecting that, despite his human efforts, it was the first time he'd gotten that close to Dar. It had been all he'd hoped: the Beastmaster was admirably strong, his arms, shoulders, and chest firm with muscle and warm with exertion. Voden could happily have stayed there all day.

Happily, that is, except for his current condition.   He snarled at Tao, reminding him that he had an urgent errand to run.

"I'll probably be gone all night." Tao took the hint. "Don't wait up for me. Oh, and don't let Voden play with any other raccoons. I'd hate to come back and find out I needn't have bothered."

Voden's claws narrowly missed Tao's ankle.

"Easy there," Dar said once Tao had vanished back into the woods. "Are you hungry?"

" _Of course!_ " Voden hadn't realized till then that he was famished. " _And don't even think about feeding me raccoon food!_ " Not that he knew what the species ate anyway, but it was the principle of the matter.

"Then I'll need to go find something--"

" _Take me with you!_ " Voden held up his paws, fully expecting to be carried again. He was miffed when Dar merely smiled indulgently and shook his head.

"You'll be safer here. Ruh will stay with you."

Voden could swear the tiger snorted. " _No way! I'll be safer with you!_ "

"I can't search for food with a giant raccoon around my neck."

" _You mean a giant big-assed raccoon!_ " Voden corrected, suddenly seeing the humor in the situation. He hated when that happened; being regally and self-righteously ticked off was more fun. Then Dar grinned ,and Voden forgot what he was arguing about. " _Don't be long!_ "

"Don't you wander away."

He disappeared into the trees, leaving Voden alone except for a somewhat confused tiger. Evidently animals couldn't communicate with each other, because nothing Voden said to Ruh got a reaction. He mostly asked about Dar, curious what the big cat knew of their mutual champion, but Ruh had nothing to contribute. After he licked his chops a few times, Voden backed off.

The rest of the forest was not nearly as reticent. Noises came from all sides, ominous sounds that Voden couldn't identify and would rather never have heard. He considered climbing another tree, but he frankly had no idea how he'd managed it the first time and didn't think he could do it again without sufficient provocation. And that was exactly what he didn't want. What he did want was his Beastmaster.

Dar returned fairly soon, banishing the arcane noises by his mere presence. He carried a bag full of root veggies and herbs. None of it looked particularly appetizing to a king, but the king was no longer in command of Voden's stomach: he pounced on the bag at once, pulling items out and nibbling at random.

"I was going to cook that!" Dar protested.

Voden hesitated, vaguely recalling that he'd refused to eat raccoon food. " _Then hurry up!_ "

Dar began to build a fire.

DDDDDDDDDDDD

It was dark by the time they finished dining. Ruh had gone off to find his own meal, saying he wouldn't be back till morning. Voden, his animal belly satisfied, washed up at length, then sank down on his behind like a man would, legs spread wide. It looked awkward and more than a little obscene. Dar, who could have gladly lived his entire life not knowing what raccoon genitals looked like, had to turn away.

"That can't be comfortable," he remarked.

Voden glanced down at himself and winced. " _Actually, it's not!_ " He tried to hoist himself upright, but tipped over so that he ended up sprawled against Dar's thigh. " _Sorry!_ "

"Don't worry about it," Dar said, which Voden apparently interpreted as an invitation to stay there. The latter curled up around Dar's leg, his head resting on Dar's lap. After a moment, Dar realized the other planned to go to sleep in that position. "Wait a minute. I have blankets."

" _I'm okay here! You're nice and warm!_ " Voden snuggled his face near Dar's crotch as if to prove his point.

Dar surrendered, laying back and using the empty food bag as a pillow. As he relaxed, one of his hands fell conveniently onto Voden's head, and he began to pet him slowly, enjoying the coarse, soft fur. When Voden began purring, Dar realized he was perfectly content to have the little king remain there. He even wished Voden would climb further onto him, so that he could touch him with both hands…

Dar's thoughts reached his brain suddenly, and he sat up, jostling his companion into wakefulness.

" _What's wrong?!_ " Voden demanded, rolling over and unwittingly doing exactly what Dar had wanted. The raccoon's whole torso was now settled on Dar's as their eyes met. He no longer seemed heavy at all.

"Nothing," Dar could not believe where his sleep-hazed mental ramblings had taken him. "Maybe we should spread out the blankets. It's going to be a chilly night, and the fire is almost out."

Voden was evidently distracted, rubbing his nose against Dar's chest till Dar yearned for more _. "You smell good!_ "

"Thanks. Aren't you cold?"

" _I know how you can keep me warm!_ " Voden managed to sound coy, despite the excitement inherent in his voice. He raised his furry little face and Dar could swear he smiled. It didn't have quite the effect Voden may have intended, but it confirmed that he knew what ideas were running through Dar's mind.

"We can't do this."

" _Why not?!_ "

"Because it would probably warp you for life."

" _And fucking a raccoon wouldn’t?!_ " Voden used his amazingly dexterous little hands to stroke Dar's hair.

"Well, it would probably warp me too."

" _I don't mind if you don't!_ "

Dar grasped him by the arms to hold him back, but Voden simply began rubbing his body against Dar's. He was long enough for his nether regions to reach Dar's loincloth-covered equivalent, and Dar's grip tightened automatically. He couldn't believe he was getting aroused.

"This is insane," he breathed.

" _My middle name, according to some people!_ "

"This is immoral."

" _Why? It's consensual!_ "

"This isn't how I wanted it to be." Dar hadn't meant to say that. It got Voden's attention however, making him pause and again meet Dar's eyes.

" _Nor did I!_ " He held up one miniscule paw and sighed. " _Dar, please! I want to talk to you as a man! We have to do this!_ " He nuzzled Dar's face with his mouth, as near a kiss as he could give. " _You're the only one I would let touch me like this! Please!_ "

Dar pulled him closer, hoping to all the gods that none of his other animal friends witnessed this; it would absolutely destroy his reputation.

VVVVVVVVVVVV

Voden wasn't as secure in this proposal as he pretended, but he relaxed once the Beastmaster made no move to initiate intercourse of any sort. Instead Dar stripped off the few pieces of clothing he wore, then held Voden to him firmly, continuing what the other had begun. He also buried his face in Voden's throat, and until then Voden hadn't been sure just what it took to arouse a raccoon. Now he knew.

He kept trying to hug Dar, kiss him, anything to indicate how much he desired this, and his inability to do so made him want to scream. He couldn't even do that. He wondered briefly whether the pressure to finish would prevent him from climaxing, but a moment later it was no longer an issue: Voden experienced an orgasm honestly like none he'd known before. Then he passed out.

When he woke up a minute later, he was still in Dar's arms, and it was gratifying that it was Voden's return to his human form that triggered Dar's own climax. He may have missed the foreplay, but Voden got to share the finale. And, to his delight, seeing his partner's pleasure set off a second orgasm for Voden, so that they both collapsed together at the same time, exhausted.

"Thank you," Voden said quietly, relieved to be able to speak again. He was tempted to check all his parts to make sure they were back where they belonged, but embracing Dar was more important. "For saving me the mortification of regaining my own body while screwing a raccoon..."

"You're welcome."

"…I didn't know… I hoped, but… You never said anything…"

"Neither did you." Dar met his eyes sincerely, and Voden realized that was his way, with everyone and everything. He'd felt perfectly safe with Dar as an animal, and as long as he didn't alienate him as he'd occasionally done before, he could count on him as a man as well. No one in his life was more trustworthy. He suddenly envied the beasts who had him as a master.

"What does this… How will it affect…" Voden had evidently been more eloquent as a raccoon. He tried again. "I don't want to lose this."

"Neither do I."

Okay, so Voden was going to have to do some soul-baring. He dared a quick kiss, and when Dar didn't push him away, smiled. "I've always been attracted to you. I didn't think you noticed."

"I did. I was too. I wouldn't have agreed to this if I wasn't."

"But I made things difficult. That's just me. I can't help it sometimes."

"I've figured out that loving you is going to be a challenge," Dar admitted. His smile then made Voden's heart jump, or maybe it was his words. He leaned down for another, longer, kiss.

"Can we try the sex thing again?" he finally asked, running his thankfully man-sized fingers over his partner's irresistible body. "As ourselves? Soon?"

"The sooner the better," Dar agreed. "Just let me get those blankets." He nipped at Voden's lower lip. "Because I'm not always going to be on the bottom."

He had the blankets spread before the full ramifications of his promise had completely sunk in. Voden just beamed.

DDDDDDDDDDDD

Dar woke when he heard a strangled gasp, and guessed that Tao had returned. After an incredibly satisfying marathon of sex, he and Voden had conked out wrapped in the same blanket, and had stayed cuddled together all night. There could be no doubt what Tao had assumed upon seeing them.

"Dar? You wouldn't… You couldn't… You didn't…" His brain didn't seem capable of completing a full sentence.

"Would, could, did," Dar told him, sitting up. Voden stirred, but apparently didn't wake. "Were you able to get the antidote?"

"Yes, but…" Tao suddenly exhaled the deep breath he'd been choking on. "It's a joke, right? Like I played on him? He nailed a raccoon last night, and that's what changed him back, and you just slept together for warmth, and--"

"Not a braying jackass," Voden spoke up dryly, "but a babbling one." He sat up too, casually and pointedly placing one arm around Dar's shoulders. "I could have you executed for that 'joke', you know."

Tao was definitely at a disadvantage, reeling under shock after shock. "It wasn't permanent!" he exclaimed. "It would have worn off in three days whether or not you had sex!"

Neither Dar nor Voden breathed for a full minute. Part of Dar was braced for the other to explode, but Voden merely glowered, his voice deepening even further. "I'm not laughing."

"I was going to tell you today," Tao added hopefully.

Dar was confident that Voden didn't mean to harm him, but the king needed a way out. "Tao, would you go find Voden some clothes--"

"You didn't bring my clothes?" Voden exclaimed, rolling his eyes. "Why does Dar keep you around?"

Tao looked to Dar for support, but Dar wasn't offering any.

"We'll wait here," the latter said blandly.

With a low groan, Tao went off to locate clothing fit for a sovereign to wear. Something told Dar he wouldn't be back anytime soon. And he sure wouldn't try to be clever again.

"Regrets?" Voden broke a small silence. He kissed Dar's shoulder, and Dar recognized it for the gesture it was. "I have none."

"As you said, it will be difficult."

"But not impossible." Voden's kohl-rimmed eyes tilted in a half-smile. "We've already gotten the impossible out of the way."

Dar reached out to stroke Voden's hair, aware that the bleached locks felt very like raccoon's fur. "I want to try."

"So do I."

"You'll have to forgive Tao. He's my friend."

"I will. Eventually. And you'll have to concede that I am king and that I intend to conquer the world."

Dar didn't respond immediately. He'd known it would come down to this. Voden had delusions of grandeur, there was no getting around that. They were slow being realized, but that hadn't deterred him. Dar's efforts to dissuade him hadn't been very effective either, at least not from a distance. Until now it seemed to be a never-ending battle. Dar suddenly wondered whether sticking to Voden's side might not be the shrewdest thing to do, not to mention the most tempting.

"All right," he said, clasping Voden's fingers in his. "Let's give it our best shot."

And if all else failed, Tao might be able to get his hands on some more of that potion…


End file.
